Tuesday, June 28, 2011

After a weekend of theater exclusivity, the teaser trailer in front of Disney Pixar's CARS 2 featuring their next fairy tale, BRAVE, is now available online. Scheduled to hit theaters next summer, BRAVE, stars a courageous young woman who confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts.

And cannot forget to include the teaser poster for BRAVE that came out earlier last week:

There is no question that Pixar is going in a new direction with this film and the 'epic' feeling the poster and trailer give may end up being appropriately applied in the end. BRAVE features the voice talents of Emma Thompson, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters among the cast and Kelly Macdonald is the voice of Merida.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Arriving in theaters this weekend in front of CARS 2 is the first teaser of Pixar's next original feature-length animation property and first fairy tale, BRAVE. But before you see it in motion on the big screen check out the first officially released image of BRAVE's main character, Princess Merida here on GeekPlate.

Synopsis:

Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In Brave, a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts.

Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Witch (Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish which turns her mother into a bear. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

Heading straight ahead toward its story climax, BRIGHTEST DAY #23 ran away from the competition to open up the first week of comic book releases for April. Even the first issue of Marvel's big company event, FEAR ITSELF, was no match for the penultimate issue of DC's post-event series.

The cover teased appearances of recently fallen heroes from the pages of BRIGHTEST DAY to reappear in new forms, and the story by series writers Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi did not disappoint. The issue picks up with Boston Brand aka Deadman continuing to try and hold back the power of the white lantern and ring from doing to Firestorm and Hawk and Dove what it did to the likes of Hawkman and Hawkgirl.

But as has been the story with Deadman, he is only a pawn for the white energy and with the dark avatar arising, the need for Earth's defenders becoming necessary. With Air, Water, Fire and Earth, BRIGHTEST DAY was only one heart away from bringing forth Captain Planet.

Instead however came representations of the 4 elements to try and hold off the approaching darkness: Hawkman and Hawkgirl representing Air; Firestorm for Fire; Martian Manhunter for Earth; and Aquaman for Water. While they battled the darkness at the edge of Star City Forest, it was left to Deadman, Hawk and Dove to defend the tree with a last page reveal that had to surprise everyone reading.

There laid Earth's ultimate savior, Alec Holland aka the Swamp Thing.

The art continues to be a collaboration between several artists yet the book flows smoothly without any of the jarring transitions seen sometimes in books with multiple artists. The high level of quality talent on the book is a sure contributor, with even the cover being drawn by Gary Frank who created a stunning piece with the 4 elementals that debut in the issue.

With only one issue left before the end, BRIGHTEST DAY has been a surprisingly consistent title over the last year - something I did not entirely expect from such a long story. Like the art side of the book, having top writing talent was definitely a factor of the quality and while BRIGHTEST DAY is coming to an end I will definitely be reading the next big books Johns and Tomasi put their focus on.

If you have not been able to keep up with the series, a BRIGHTEST DAY collection is certainly something to keep an eye out for when trade paperbacks for the series are released. An entertaining must read for comic book fans.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

The moment I picked up and read Marvel's CYCLOPS ONE-SHOT I knew that I had found the top book from the last week in March's comics stack. What made it stand out from other stellar releases from the week like CAPTAIN AMERICA #616, INCREDIBLE HULKS #621 and the JIMMY OLSEN ONE-SHOT was the fun and humor found in the pages focused on a character that rarely gets to seen in such a light.

Unlike the main X-books that are mired in continuity and the the gritty realism of the era the stories are now written in, writer Lee Black took everyone's favorite optic-blasting mutant back to his younger first class days to present a fun, adventure-filled story that works well in that perceived simpler time.

In the story called "The Bicycle Thief: Or How Cyclops Got His Groove Back", readers are treated to a well-rounded portrayal of Cyclops. He goes from sharing his feelings after a rough day with Zelda the cute barista, to chasing after Batroc the Leaper and his crew that led Cyclops into bizarre situations like having to steal a bike, finding himself in a Hydra warehouse, visiting a pet store being used as a super-villain storage unit, before coming face to face with the criminal mastermind behind it all, Baron Zemo. Over the length of the adventure, Cyclops finds himself having fun and being able to relax in a way his teammates had been able to during battles when he had not.

To match the timing of the story, the art reflected a style reminiscent of the earlier X-MEN: FIRST CLASS series, even going so far as having the cover drawn by the first class artist, Roger Cruz.

I almost wish this was a start of a series instead of just a one-shot, because it proved that a solo title for Cyclops can be entertaining and honestly there are just not enough fun, all-ages titles covering the big characters from Marvel. Sometimes you just need to step away from the events and enjoy a simpler story you can finish in one go and that is when releases like this CYCLOPS ONE-SHOT are a welcome gift to the week. Give it a read, you will not regret the time taken.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The fourth film of the movie franchise spun out from one of Disneyland's most famous rides, The Pirates of the Caribbean, brings a new direction for the series focal character Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) with a new supporting cast and a new villain in Blackbeard (Ian McShane).

"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" also boasts a new director as Gore Verbinski departed for less Pirate-related ventures and in stepped Rob Marshall ("Chicago") to tell the story of Captain Jack's journey to the fabled Fountain of Youth.

Along his journey, Jack found himself in London - the first time seen in the series - where he impersonated a magistrate in order to preside over his own trial. There he finds Gibbs (Kevin McNally) who was being held under the impression he was Jack Sparrow, but was saved from the hangman's noose thanks to the real Jack's interference. But that was not the only reunion waiting for Jack in England, as his audience with King George II (Richard Griffiths) brought to his attention Barbossa's (Geoffrey Rush) new role as a privateer in service to the British Navy and Jack's subsequent escape from said meeting led him to identify the impostor pretending to be him as Angelica (Penélope Cruz), a former lover he met in a Spanish convent.

His run-in with Angelica puts Jack on the Queen's Revenge as a forced member of Blackbeard's crew, who is the newly found father of Angelica and wielder of supernatural powers. Throw in a school of deadly siren-like mermaids and an also interested in the fountain Spanish fleet and a land showdown comparable to the sea battle from "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" occurs at the site of the Fountain of Youth.

Eight years after his first portrayal of Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp continues to thrive in the role and find new ways to take the character in. Gone were the zany, over the top shenanigans that plagued the previous film and back was more of the fun, subtle Jack that wowed so many viewers with the original film. Geoffrey Rush follows suit by fleshing out more of the Barbossa character, bringing the villain of the first film, to the conniving pirate in the third to now a man full on in survivor mode, doing what needs to be done to keep going with the revengeful lust still strong inside.

Newcomers Ian McShane and Penélope Cruz brought much improved versions of roles filled by other characters earlier in the series. McShane's Blackbeard was more menacing and imposing than the cursed Barbossa from the first film and Cruz's Angelica had a fiery passion as a female pirate and opposite to Jack that the fair-haired Elizabeth never had.

Fans of the series should not fear the changes this film represents and instead embrace the new direction because in the end "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" is another fun, action-packed adventure with everyone's favorite pirate leading the way. Disney should be proud of this next installment, it is a good time for all-ages and a perfect new beginning should they decide to make a second Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

The Electronic Entertainment Expo hit Los Angeles, California this week and as a result GeekPlate is having a week of E3 coverage with the highlights from the news that breaks at the expo. Thursday meant the third and last day of the show floor in the convention. Here are some final highlights from E3 today.

ASSASSIN'S CREED REVELATIONS from Ubisoft is another chapter of the gaming series for the XBOX 360, PS3 & PC due out in November.

BATTLEFIELD 3 from developer DICE and EA is an action first-person shooter scheduled to be released on the XBOX 360, PS3 & PC this fall.

NEED FOR SPEED: THE RUN gameplay demo from the EA press conference. It will be coming to the XBOX 360, PS3, Wii, 3DS & PC in November.

PREY 2 is an action game from Bethesda Gaming Studios for the PS3, XBOX 360 & PC.

RAYMAN ORIGINS is an Ubisoft platform game for the PS3, XBOX 360 & Wii due out by the end of the year.

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE GAME is another platform game from Ubisoft coming to the PS3, XBOX 360, Wii, 3DS & PC during the upcoming holiday season.

STAR WARS THE OLD REPUBLIC developer walkthrough of Tatooine. The MMORPG from Bioware and Lucasarts will be out on PCs sometime in the future.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

The Electronic Entertainment Expo hit Los Angeles, California this week and as a result GeekPlate is having a week of E3 coverage with the highlights from the news that breaks at the expo. Wednesday meant day two of the show floor in the convention. Here are some highlights from E3.

DRAGON'S DOGMA is a fantasy era action game for the PS3 & XBOX 360 from CAPCOM due out in 2012.

JOURNEY, from the developer thatgamecompany behind FLOWER bring this unique game to the PS3 sometime this year.

LITTLE DEVIANTS is a puzzle sim game from SCEA that is being created for the PSVITA.

RAGE is a first-person shooter from Bethesda Games Studios for the PC, PS3 & XBOX 360. Due out this September.

RESIDENT EVIL: OPERATION RACCOON CITY is a new chapter of the series from Capcom that is heading to the XBOX 360, PS3 & PC.

SUPER STARDUST DELTA is an action game from developer Housemarque coming to the PSVITA in the future.

THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM demo that was on GameTrailers TV. From Bethesda Games Studios, this RPG for the PS3, XBOX 360 & PC is scheduled to be released this November.

UNCHARTED: GOLDEN ABYSS is coming to the PSVITA and here is the gameplay demo from the e3 conference stage for the action-adventure game by SCEA.

--SILENT HILL is coming to the PSVITA in SILENT HILL: BOOK OF MEMORIES and it will be a multiplayer game.--Ubisoft is in the process of developing 5 titles for the Wii U console, including: ASSASSIN'S CREED, RAVING RABBIDS, GHOST RECON ONLINE, KILLER FREAKS FROM OUTERSPACE and a sports title.

That was it for GeekPlate's coverage of Day 2 of E3 2011. If you missed it, there were two previous installments on GeekPlate highlighting the Microsoft/Sony press conferences and Nintendo's press conference + Day 1 of E3. Hope you have been enjoying the videos and news highlighted in these entries. Look forward to tomorrow's post recapping the final day of the convention.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

The Electronic Entertainment Expo hit Los Angeles, California this week and as a result GeekPlate is having a week of E3 coverage with the highlights from the news that breaks at the expo. Tuesday brought the Nintendo press conference and the opening of the show floor - the first official day of E3.

Nintendo:

The Wii U debut video. Wii U is the next console in Nintendo's future. It will have a 1080P HD resolution. The new console's controller has a large touchscreen interface, a front-facing camera, gyroscope and microphone while incorporating the more traditional analog sticks, d-pad, front and shoulder buttons and triggers. A 3DS-like stylus can be used on the controller touchscreen. Wii U discs will be able to hold 25 gigabytes of data. Will be compatible with Wii games and devices. Release date in 2012.

--LEGEND OF ZELDA's 25th anniversary year has Nintendo planning game releases on all of its platforms. THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: LINK'S AWAKENING is the first and will be available for download in the 3DS eShop. THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE FOUR SWORDS will be available as a free DSiWare download in September.--NINJA GAIDEN 3: RAZOR'S EDGE will be a unique version specifically designed for the Wii U.--PIKMIN will be coming to the Wii U instead of the Wii.--SMASH BROS. will get new versions for the 3DS and Wii U.--SUPER MARIO 3DS, built specifically for the handheld will be released by the end of 2011.

E3 News & Video:

BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY, the sequel to the critically acclaimed hit BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM, from developer Rocksteady Studios provides a preview of the playable character, Catwoman. BAC is scheduled for release on the PS3, XBOX 360 & PC in October.

LORD OF THE RINGS: WAR in the NORTH trailer for the PS3, XBOX 360 & PC. From Snowblind Studios and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, the action RPG is due out this year.

THE DARKNESS 2 from developer Digital Extremes is a shooter sequel that takes place two years after the first and is for the PS3, XBOX 360 & PC.

XCOM, from 2k Games is a first-person shooter for the XBOX 360, PS3 & PC and is due out in March 2012.

--ONLIVE is going portable with the ONLIVE PLAYER APP that will bring its PC gameplay streaming capabilities to iPads and Android tablets.

That was it for GeekPlate's coverage of the Nintendo press conference and Day 1 of E3 2011. If you missed it, there was a previous installment on GeekPlate highlighting the Microsoft/Sony press conferences. Hope you have been enjoying the videos and news highlighted in these entries. Look forward to tomorrow's post recapping the official second day of the convention.

Monday, June 6, 2011

The Electronic Entertainment Expo hits Los Angeles, California this week and as a result GeekPlate will be having an E3 week of coverage with the highlights from the news that breaks at the expo. Monday was not the technical start of E3 as the show floor does not open until Tuesday, but there was still news to be had as Microsoft and Sony held their annual press conferences.

MICROSOFT:

FABLE: THE JOURNEY, the next chapter of the FABLE game series from Lionhead Studios is scheduled to arrive on the XBOX 360 in 2012. And it features KINECT functionality, allowing players to use gestures to cast spells.

HALO 4 showed off its teaser trailer and has a scheduled release date of holiday 2012.

STAR WARS KINECT will bring players the ability to wield lightsabers, jump and kick their way through the Star Wars universe.

TOMB RAIDER, the next Lara Croft game from Square Enix for the XBOX 360, PS3 & PC takes players to the beginning of the character's journey for her first adventure.

--BING will be a feature on the new XBOX 360 dashboard coming in the fall, enabling players to search the entire marketplace for content using KINECT.--KINECT will become a big part of the new dashboard on XBOX 360, letting users control the entire experience through voice commands.--KINECT FUN LABS is a collection of mini-games available for free that allows players to participate in various activities including scanning real life objects into the game world and creating avatars using the KINECT camera.--MASS EFFECT 3, the next chapter in BioWare's scifi RPG series is coming in March 2012 and brings with it KINECT features like making conversation choices and battlefield directions through voice command.--UFC bouts will be coming to XBOX LIVE along with some interactive features where viewers can "call matches" and place bets with friends.--XBOX LIVE will soon be offering cloud storage for game saves and profiles, making it easier for players to sign into their accounts from any XBOX 360 console.

SONY:

BIOSHOCK INFINITE, is a first person shooter coming in 2012 to PS3, 360 & PC from developer Irrational Games, the studio behind the original BIOSHOCK.

DUST 514, a massively multiplayer online game with connections to EVE ONLINE is a PS3 exclusive scheduled to launch in 2012 with a closed beta testing period on PSN near the end of 2011.

LITTLE BIG PLANET, the PS3 hit game series is making its way to the PSVITA.

RESISTANCE 3, the very popular scifi first person shooter series from developer Insomniac Games comes to the PS3 in September.

Sly Cooper is heading to the PS3 in 2012 with SLY COOPER: THIEVES IN TIME, this time with developer Sanzaru Games taking over the creative reigns for Sucker Punch.

STAR TREK, a new co-op game for the PS3, 360 & PC from developer Digital Extremes is coming in 2012. Play as Captain Kirk and Spock in this new chapter spinning out from the recent blockbuster film.

UNCHARTED 3: DRAKE'S DECEPTION hits the PS3 on 11/1/11.

--GOD OF WAR ORIGINS COLLECTION, a 3D-enabled compilation of GOD OF WAR: GHOST OF SPARTA and CHAINS OF OLYMPUS (the two PSP titles in the series) is coming to the PS3 in September.--NBA 2K12 features unique MOVE functionality, where the basketball players will move on their own on the court and the player at home can use the MOVE controller to point at anybody on their team and control them.--Playstation-branded 24" 3D TV that comes with a pair of glasses, 6 foot HDMI cable and Resistance 3 in one bundle for only $499.--PLAYSTATION VITA, the next chapter in Sony's portable gaming platform, will launch worldwide by the end of 2011 with a WiFi-only model selling for $249 and a 3G/WiFi model at $299. AT&T will be the official wireless carrier for the handheld.--RUIN, a "social action RPG" for the PSVITA and PS3, will let players create their own hero and lair and laying siege to friends' lairs. This top-down game will use the connectivity feature between the PSVITA and PS3 in which players can transfer their saves between the gaming platforms at will.

That was it for GeekPlate's coverage of the Microsoft and Sony press conferences at E3 2011. Hope you are enjoying the videos and news highlighted. Look forward to tomorrow's post recapping the first official day of the convention and Nintendo's press conference.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Coming to North American theaters this summer is TRIGUN: BADLANDS RUMBLE from Funimation Entertainment. The film debuted in Japan back in April 2010 and became a long running hit movie there. It is a followup to the twenty-six episode 1998 anime series and the first original TRIGUN animation in over a decade.

Synopsis:

Vash the Stampede is a gunslinging, red-trenchcoat-wearing drifter with a giant bounty on his head. His biggest threat, however, may not be law enforcement, but an outlaw by the name of Gasback. Twenty years ago, Vash accidentally interefered with one of Gasback's robberies, and now the villain's back with a score to settle. Gasback has come to Macca City in hopes of stealing one of their major installations, and Vash has just coincidentally arrived at the same spot. Also involved in this caper are a beautiful lady with a grudge, a couple of insurance agents, and Vash's old buddy Wolfwood. At first it seems that Gasback has succeeded, but one can never underestimate Vash's legendary abilities-not to mention the secrets that his allies have up their sleeves.

Friday, June 3, 2011

This week DC Comics made a historic announcement when it revealed its summer plans for the DC Universe. What are those plans? Well, on Wednesday, August 31st, DC will launch an unheard of amount of changes when it renumbers its entire line of comic books, with 52 first issues.

That Wednesday only two books will be released by the company: FLASHPOINT #5, the company's current big event mini-series which DC noted at the time a few weeks ago said it would be the only book released because of its impact on the DCU and now JUSTICE LEAGUE #1, which will be the first book in the newly rebooted DC Universe.

JUSTICE LEAGUE will have a blockbuster creative team behind it, with DC Entertainment's Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns writing and DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee on the art. It will be the duo's first comic book collaboration and by putting two of the most influential and popular DC creators on the title it is a clear move to make the JUSTICE LEAGUE the flagship title of the company, something that has not been true for some time.

In an open letter to retailers, DC Entertainment's Senior VP of Sales Bob Wayne said:

"We are positioning ourselves to tell the most innovative stories with our characters to allow fans to see them from a new angle. We have taken great care in maintaining continuity where most important, but fans will see a new approach to our storytelling. Some of the characters will have new origins, while others will undergo minor changes. Our characters are always being updated; however, this is the first time all of our characters will be presented in a new way all at once ... Over 50 new costumes will debut in September, many updated and designed by artist Jim Lee, ensuring that the updated images appeal to the current generation of readers."

And DC was not done with issuing big announcements, they also let it be known that starting August 31st with JUSTICE LEAGUE they would be going day-and-date with all of their single issues. For the first four weeks of release, the digital and print editions of DC titles will have parity pricing ($2.99). After that the digital edition drops down to their standard price of $1.99. Oversized issues like JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 will start at $3.99 and drop to $2.99.

Because of the historic consequences behind JUSTICE LEAGUE #1, DC will also offer their first ever comic book combo where readers can buy both the digital and print version of the title for only $4.99. It looks like this fall will be a season to remember for the DC Universe and its fans.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The much anticipated start of the summer of the comic book movie officially begins with Marvel Studios' release of "Thor", a theatrical film focused around their comic book character who is a Norse god from Asgard now a hero on Earth. "Thor" is the first of Marvel's three live action feature film entries this summer.

Directed by veteran actor of the silver screen and stage, Kenneth Branagh ("Hamlet"), "Thor" tells the story of a powerful but arrogant warrior who is cast out of the realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he gains a new perspective on his impulsive ways.

The redemption journey for Thor (Chris Hemsworth) starts and ends in Asgard where he was born and groomed alongside his brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), to be the next heir for the throne of the King, their father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins). Asgard is a realm with stunning visuals, full of palatial structures that befit the grandness of the characters. Everything in Asgard has a grandiose quality to it, like Odin's throne and especially the Rainbow Bridge - the mystical gate that gives the Asgardians the ability to transport to other realms.

Perhaps the most stunning battle in the film happens early on when Thor leads Loki and his friends - Sif (Jaimie Alexander) and the Warriors Three (Ray Stevenson, Tadanobu Asano & Josh Dallas) - to Jotunheim to confront the Frost Giants after Thor's ascension to the throne ceremony was interrupted. Each Asgardian is given a chance to shine in the battle, but by far it was Thor and his hammer, Mjolnir, that performed the most impressive visual feats.

With Earth being the most realistic destination of the journey, the humor of the film picks up the visual slack of the New Mexico desert and it effortlessly flows with the action. The scenes with Thor conversing with S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg), Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and her repeated hitting of Thor with her van, and the Warriors Three with Sif arriving to see Thor walking through the small town in their Asgardian armor.

There might not have been a more perfect casting choice than Chris Hemsworth as the mighty Thor. Last seen by many geek audiences in 2009's "Star Trek" as Captain Kirk's sacrificing father, here Chris continues that feeling of geniune compassion from that role while adding on levels of boisterousness and a sense of strength to be his character Thor.

Accomplished actor Anthony Hopkins plays Thor's father, Odin, the King of Asgard. Worry not about his age or his lack of an imposing physique, because Hopkins presence brings the right gravitas to the role, his inflection and pacing of speech displaying a wiseness and power worthy of Odin.

Natalie Portman fills the love interest position in the film as scientist Jane Foster, an astrophysicist investigating the strange astrological occurrences that coincide with the transportation from the Rainbow Bridge. Portman brings everything she is to the role as always and does not disappoint if you are looking for a strong, independent woman who knows what she wants and strives to get it.

Since some have brought up a dislike for the 3D conversion of the film, I ended up seeing "Thor" on a normal 2D screen and it is safe to say that even in two dimensions the film is a stunning visual masterpiece that will be fun to see in home theaters in a couple of months.

In the end, "Thor" is a fun, adventure-filled ride that any movie fan should find easily accesible and a treat to watch. This movie has set a high mark for the other Marvel features coming out this summer to match, and looking back this might be my favorite Marvel produced movie to date. It is a must see, and a must own once it comes to Blu-Ray.